GoAmerica(R) and AT&T to Demonstrate Fast, Effective 10-Digit Interoperability Between Video Relay Providers
25 Junio 2008 - 7:41PM
PR Newswire (US)
Demo Showcases That Yesterday's FCC Mandate is Quick to Implement
ROCKLIN, Calif., June 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- GoAmerica, Inc.
(NASDAQ:GOAM), a provider of relay and wireless communications and
professional interpreter services for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and
speech-disabled persons, and AT&T today announced they would
become the first companies to demonstrate a live point-to-point
video call through a 10-digit numbering system described in the FCC
ruling issued yesterday. The demonstration, to occur at the
National Association of the Deaf headquarters in Silver Spring, MD,
will exhibit a technology solution that is relatively inexpensive
and quick to implement for any relay provider. "Delivering 10-digit
numbering is a critical step in providing relay users with
functionally equivalent calling services and essential emergency
calling (e911) access which together have thus far been denied to
online relay users," said Kelby Brick, vice president of regulatory
and strategic policy for GoAmerica, which provides relay services
under the Hands On VRS(R), i711.com(R), and IP-Relay(TM) brands.
"We applaud the FCC ruling which demonstrates a commitment to
ensure that relay users will enjoy the same level of accessibility
and safety that hearing users have had for years." "A hundred years
ago the U.S. concluded that telephone networks for hearing persons
should be interconnected to ensure easy calling between telephone
users, regardless of their chosen telephone network," said David
Huntley, Senior Vice President of Customer Information Services at
AT&T. "In the same way -- and for the first time -- relay
providers are agreeing to interconnect their networks, effectively
advancing the same convenience for deaf and hard of hearing
callers." About Ten-Digit Numbering As described in yesterday's FCC
ruling, ten-digit numbering offers to deaf and hard of hearing
relay users a real, ten-digit number that can be dialed from any
voice telephone to reach the intended relay user. These numbers are
critical in providing users access to emergency calling services
through 911. Real 10-digit numbers provided through this solution
are accessible by callers from any relay provider that shares
access to its user directory. "Real ten-digit numbers eliminate the
cumbersome dialing instructions and procedures required to make
voice-to-video calls today," added Brick. "If a hearing person
wants to call me on my videophone, he just dials my number the same
as he would for any other call. The ten-digit number will work for
everyone -- deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing people -- and with
any participating device or service." Broad Consumer Support "Every
relay provider should take active steps to ensure that their
services are fully accessible for the community they serve," said
Nancy Bloch, executive director of the National Association of the
Deaf. "I congratulate the AT&T and GoAmerica for moving ahead
aggressively to establish this accessibility." "It's encouraging to
see group efforts to jumpstart the process to establish a telephone
numbering system which will enable consumers who are deaf, hard of
hearing, or speech-disabled, to have access to enhanced 911
services," said Sheri Farinha-Mutti, CEO of the NorCal Center on
Deafness. "Lives are at stake, and we can't afford to wait." Ms.
Bloch and Ms. Farinha-Mutti will each take part in the 10-digit
number demonstration. Demonstration, Pricing, and Availability
GoAmerica and AT&T will demonstrate the 10-digit numbering
solution on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at the headquarters of the
National Association of the Deaf at 8630 Fenton Street, Suite 820
in Silver Spring, Maryland. The demo will show two 10-digit video
calls. First, Sheri Farinha-Mutti will receive a call from a
hearing caller through a 10-digit number. Then, Ms. Farinha-Mutti
and Nancy Bloch, each a customer of a different VRS provider, will
connect through a video-to-video call using a 10-digit number.
GoAmerica anticipates it will begin distributing local 10-digit
numbers to relay users for free in July. About Telecommunications
Relay Services. TRS is a program established under the federal
Americans with Disabilities Act to provide deaf and hard of hearing
persons with functionally equivalent access to the public telephone
network. Traditional TRS involves the use of a device called a TTY,
which consists of a keyboard, modem and display screen connected to
a standard telephone line. The deaf person types his or her portion
of the telephone call to a relay operator, who voices the message
to the hearing party and in return types the hearing party's
conversation which is read on the TTY display screen by the deaf
person. Like other forms of communication, text relay can now be
accomplished more effectively using the Internet. In addition, the
Internet now allows deaf and hard of hearing persons to conduct
video telephone calls, thereby enabling them to use their native
visual sign language through use of a sign language interpreter.
About AT&T AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications
holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T
operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the
United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the
world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and
the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice
services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory
publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and
YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed
to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part
of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its
TV entertainment offerings. Additional information about AT&T
Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T
subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/.
About GoAmerica As a result of its acquisitions, GoAmerica is the
nation's largest and second largest provider of text relay and
video relay services, respectively, and provides an array of
communications and interpreting services tailored to the needs of
people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech-disabled. The
Company's vision is to improve the quality of life of its customers
by being their premier provider of high quality, innovative
communication services that break down communications barriers. For
more information on the Company or its services, visit
http://www.goamerica.com/ or contact GoAmerica directly at TTY
201-527-1520, voice 201-996-1717, Internet Relay by visiting
http://www.i711.com/, or video phone by connecting to hovrs.tv.
Safe Harbor The statements contained in this news release that are
not based on historical fact -- including statements regarding the
anticipated results of the transactions described in this press
release -- constitute "forward-looking statements" that are made in
reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be
identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may,"
"will," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "continue," or similar
terms, variations of such terms or the negative of those terms.
Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties,
including, but not limited to: (i) our ability to integrate the
businesses and technologies we have acquired; (ii) our ability to
respond to the rapid technological change of the wireless data
industry and offer new services; (iii) our dependence on wireless
carrier networks; (iv) our ability to respond to increased
competition in the wireless data industry; (v) our ability to
generate revenue growth; (vi) our ability to increase or maintain
gross margins, profitability, liquidity and capital resources; and
(vii) difficulties inherent in predicting the outcome of regulatory
processes. Such risks and others are more fully described in the
Risk Factors set forth in our filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Our actual results could differ materially
from the results expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking
statements. GoAmerica is not obligated to update and does not
undertake to update any of its forward-looking statements made in
this press release. Each reference in this news release to
"GoAmerica," the "Company" or "We," or any variation thereof, is a
reference to GoAmerica, Inc. and its subsidiaries. "GoAmerica," the
"GoAmerica" logo, "i711," and the "i711.com" logo, "Hands On VRS"
and "Relay and Beyond" are registered trademarks of GoAmerica.
"i711.com," "IP-Relay," and "i711 Wireless" are trademarks and
service marks of GoAmerica. Other names may be trademarks of their
respective owners. DATASOURCE: GoAmerica, Inc. CONTACT: Laura
Kowalcyk of CJP Communications for GoAmerica, +1-212-279- 3115
x209, ; or Kevin Belgrade, Media Relations for AT&T,
+1-210-351-2162, Web site: http://www.goamerica.com/
http://www.i711.com/ http://www.att.com/
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